Cycle



J. T. SENTROP, JR.

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CYCLE.

APPLICATION man FEB. 191e.

PatentedSept. 13, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. T. SENTROP, JR. CYCLE.

APPLICATION min Fis. a, 191e.

1,390,822. Patendsept. 13,1921.

s SHEETsQsuEeT a.

I. I. SENTIIOP, JI.

CYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8-. 1918.

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CYCLE. APPucAT'l-QN `FILED ma. a, 1ers.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"JOHANNES THEODOBES SENTBOP, JB., OF'MONTBEAL, QUEBEC, CANADA;

CYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 8, 1918. Serial No. 216,114.

1 To provide an improved frame whereby 15 the weight and strain are moreefficiently sustained and uniformly distributed than heretofore and onewhich, while facilitating a ready and convenient removal of the wheelsof the,` cycle is also readily accommodated for the attachment of awagon.

To provide an improved steering arrange ment lupon the principle.. ofbodily swinging the steering wheel upon a rear plvot as d1stinguishedfrom pivoting the steering wheel about a point central thereof.

To provide a novel spring suspension.

The above with further objects and advantages will be hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference should be hadto the' accompanying drawings forming a part of 11 this speciiication,in which the samereference characters indicate the same parts andwherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved cycle frame; 1 Fig. 2 is aplan of same;

Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the front of the cycle drawn on a largerscale;

Fig. .4 is a plan of same, one half in horizontal` section Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. `3 of the rear of the cycle;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section ofsame taken on line 6-6 Fig. 5;

Fig. 7` is a part side elevation and part section of a modifiedconstruction of connec tion Vbetween the center and front section of thecycle frame; y 1

Fig. 8 is a plan of same with portions broken away in horizontalsection;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation illustrating the attachment of the handle tothe frame in said modified construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8; 1y

ig. 10 is a vertical section on line10-10 Fig. 11; i

Fig. 11 is a plan of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the cycle.Referring now the drawings, 2 indicates the front axle carrying thefront wheel, and

3 the rear axle carrying the rear wheel.

The cycle frame extends continuously from rear to front axles on bothsides of the wheels, such frame consisting of a connected `PatentedSept. 13, `1921.`

pair of top bars on either side of the wheels above the axles anddisposed substantially parallel to each other along the generallongitudinal line of the latter, and a bottom pair of similar bars inapproximately the vertical plane of the top bars, spaced there- 1,

from below the axles and connected to the top bars in parallelismtherewith. y

The frame is constructed in three sections;

top preferably, parallel bars 4, bottom, preferably, parallel bars 5 andfront and rear upright connecting bars or struts 6 constituting an openflat boxlike central section capable of accommodating any type of cyclemotor; top bars 7 continuing forwardly from bars 4, bottom bars 8extending forwardly from bars 5 and connected by front bars or struts 9constituting a front section; top bars 10 continuing rearwardly` frombars 4, bottom bars ll continuing rearwardly from bars 5 and connectedby rear bars 1or struts 12 and struts 12*l inclined rearwardly frombottom to top bars, constituting a rear section. The front and rearsections extend out beyond the front and rear wheels respectively andthe top and bottom` bars of the frame, as a` whole, extend in asubstantially straight line thus presenting an effective guard in theevent of a collision and 1 nuts 13a. `Each bearing plate is locatedbetween a pair ofguides or strut-like uprights 14 and 15 respectivelycarried by the frame, spaced longitudinally of the latter and presentingin, their opposingedges longitudinal grooves 16 within which the edgesof the plates travel. The plates have outwardly extending ledges 17below the axle bearing thereof, to each of which ledges the middleportion'of a laminated spring 18 is bolted, the ends of the spring beinglinked to the bottom bars of the front and rear sections of vthe trameand by yieldingly con* trollingr movement of the sliding bearing platesprovide a cushioning suspension for the frame.V The four' springssuspending the frame are all similarly arranged and attached and aretherefore interchangeable.

.1 preferjto incline the front uprights upwardly and rearwardly so as tomore closely aline them with the direction oi force eXerted by anvencounter of the frontwheel with an obstacle thusinsuring a cushioningac tion both vertically and longitudinally of thefframe as'the rearwardinclination of the guides j'enables the bearing plates to slide in boththe vertical and longitudinal direction; l

The inner upright 14 at each side of the front wheel extends between andis connect ed'to the top and bottom bars 7 and 8 while Athelouterupright 15 in iront of upright 14 Y is bifurcated at its ends 19 whichrespec tively straddle the bottom bar'S and a bar 20 extendinglongitudinally between the front bar 9 and the upright 14, being securedin position by nuts 21 which are screwedupon their respective bars andenable the upright 15 to beadj usted longitudinally of the frame to takeup wear between the uprights and the slidable plates. The bifurcatedends of the uprights 15 also enable them to be readily removed.

The samevreference characters apply to the uprights 14 and 15 at therear which-are constructed similarly to those at the front with theexception that in the preferred form they are curved at the centertoward the front. j

If it is desired to lower the frame from the position indicated thebearing opening 23 can be utilized, while to elevate the frame from saidposition the springs can be secured to the upper side of the ledges 17in stead of beneath as show norto secure a greater degree of elevationthe plates 13 j maybe reversed top to bottom thus positioning the ledgesabove the axle bearings of the plates. For this reversal ot the platesthe vplate aty one side vof the rear wheel should be substituted lforthat on the other side in view of the outstanding ledges 17.

Should either of the springs become broken 'and cannotbe convenientlyreplaced, the link pins 24 of the Spring can be removed and inserted inholes 25 in the uprights 14 and 15 to engage either of a series ofvertically spaced grooves 26 in the edges of the plate 13 and thusconnect the wheel directly to the uprights, the grooves to be employedbeing determined by the elevation of frame desired. Owing to thisarrangement the cycle is not crippled by a broken spring as a substitutesupport can be quickly provided for during the change from one supportto the other.

Should it be desired to elevate the frame at the front or rear end onlythis may be done by raising as above described the attachment of thefront or rear spring suspension only or when it so happens that the pins24 are employed instead ot the springs, by engaging such pins with thosegrooves 2G which will give the desired elevation.

The above described arrangement provides for the support of the weightby suspension at a point below the horizontal center line of the cycleand, in most instances of adjustment, below the axles, thus insuring avery eiiective suspension and one wherein the weight is supported mainlyat the lower portion of the trame, thus materially assisting in themaintenance of equilibrium.

The cycle is steered by swinging the front wheel bodily upon a pivot atthe rear of the latter instead of pivoting the wheel upon its verticalcenter and 'for this reason the front section of the frame has avertical pivotal connection with the central section, the top bars 7terminating at their rear ends in a flat yoke 31 bearing upon a flatyoke 32 connecting the liront ends ot bars 4 and pivoted thereto by bolt33, and the bottom bars 8 and 5 being similarly connected by yokes 34and 35 and bolt 36.

A steering handle is attached to and enables the front trame section andwheel to be bodily swung horizontally on the pivot bolts 33 and 3G, suchhandle comprising parallel sides 37 having lateral slots 3S formed bythe bifurcated ends of a cross-piece 39 connecting the front ends of thesides 37. Each bifurcated end of the cross-piece enters between jaws 40formed upon the bars 7 respectively of the front section and straddles abolt 41 carried by said jaws, being clamped between the jaws by nuts 42.

This connection between front section and handle is preferably disposedapproximately in vertical line with axle 2, the sides 37 of the handleextending rearwardly to a` point A outward flare in the form of handlebars, a particular feature of the construction being that the handle isconnected to the frame atap roximately the pivot point offcenter andront frame sections 4and also to the front section at a suitable point,thus insuring power and reducing torsional strain. A `furt er feature ofthe construction illustrated is that the rear portion of the steeringhandle is longer than the front portion, that is to say the handle, in`extending past the pivot 33preferably` presents a longer lever arm inrear of said ivot than the distance between the latter an a point invertical line with-the front axle, to facilitate the steer- 1n i i fdesired the bars 4, 5 and 7, 8 can, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, bepivotally connected at the front by a hollow cylindrical standard 48,the before mentioned yokes 31, 32 and 34, 35, being connected by flanges49 upon the cylinder and the latter extended upwardly and having arotatable cap to which the handle is connected.

The sides of both front and rear frame sections are constructed to swingoutwardly, `or to be taken out entirely, to permit of easy access to thewheels and for this reason I have formed horizontal slots 51 in the rearendsof bars 7 and 8 and mounted bolts upon such ends and` passingthrough said slots, the front ends of yokes 31 and 34 being verticallyslotted at 53 and horizontally countersunk or grooved from side to sideat 54. The vertically slotted ends are located -in the slots 51 andstraddle the bolts 52 from the rear while a at pin 54a with slots orjaws 55 is inserted into grooves 54 and through slots 51 of the top bars7 so that the slotted pin will straddle the bolts 52 from the side andby its engagement in the grooves 54 lock the bars 7 and yoke 31Itogether in a pivotal mannen bolts 52 acting as the pivot and aprolongation 53n of the bar beyond the slot `53 preventing inwardswinging. The pin is held against accidental displacement by a stud 55aloosely `located in a hole in the edge of the pin near its end andnormally held in a protruding position by a spring 56 `or the like. Whenthe pin is being placed into locking position the stud is displacedinwardly by. enga ment with the bottom walls of slots 511an when carriedbeyond the far side of top bar 7 on the side opposite to that from whichthe pin was inserted, the spring causes the stud to protrude beyond theside of the slot and normally prevent removal of the pin. Another ofthese pins 54"I is employed to lock the bars 8 to theiryokes 34 in asimilar manner to the upper connection.

The Sides V0f thefronisecaon are normally connected at the front by astrap 57 which serves as a license plate or lamp holder, such strapbeing `connected tor the `frame side .rom the handleaud the strap 57,

after which the frame side can be swung outwardly and if desiredutilized as a stand for supporting the cycle by swinging the side to aposition at about right angles to the frame and tilting the cycle untilthe front end of the swung out side bears upon the ground.

The pivotal connection between top bars 4 and 10 is provided as followsz-A vertical bolt hole 60aL is formed near the end of each bar 4 andcommunicates with a depression formed in the upper side oi' the bariroin side to side thereof, the rear wall 61 of the depression beinghorizontally curved and rearwardly beveled and the front wall (32 Hat.The depression forms an upwardly projecting boss 63 at the end oi1 thebar and this boss is downwardly and rearwardly beveled from the curvedwall 61 and round ed at 64 and provided with a projection forming anoutwardly facing vertical shoulder 65 near the center of the boss. Thefront end of each of the bars` l() is undercut to form a groove fromside to side of the bar, the rear wall 66 of the groove being curved andbeveled to correspond to the rounded end of the adjacent bar 4 and'provided with a projection forming an inwardly facing `verticalshoulder 67 near the center oi. the groove, the front wail 68 of thegroove being curved and beveled to correspond to the rear wall 61 of thedepression of the adjacent arm 4. The described groove `forms adownwardly proj ect ing boss69 at the end of the bar and this boss isvertically slotted at 70.

When the bars are connected the boss 69 is located in depression of bar4 and boss 63 1n groove of bar 10, the'curved and beveled Walels 61 and68 forming a socket connection and the bosses being held againstvertical displacement by a bolt 71 which, passing through hole 60EL andslot 70, is secured by nut 72. When the bars are in alinement theVertical shoulders 65 and67 engage and prevent inward swinging of therear frame side while such side is limited to an outward swing ofslightly over 90O by the engagement of the side of the bar l0 with thefiat wall 62 of the depression in bar 4.

The connection of bottom bars 5 and 1 1 of the rear section are similarlto the connections just described and indicated by the same referencecharacters. The sides of the rear :trame section can therefore be swungoutward similarly to thesides of the front section after removal llO Aboring in the frame bar l1 may be pro'- vided, as at 99, to. accommodatethe axle o'f a stand for supporting the cycle when at rest should suchbe d-esired. The above described cycle is specially adapted for theattachment of a wagon at the front or rear, the attachment being madevin part by removing 'the front or rear wheel and substituting for itthe axle of the wagon (not shown) and it will be seen that the swingingsides of the frame permit oi' a ready removal or replacement olf therear wheel thus considerably facilitating the attachment or removal ofthe wagon or the like.

lVhat I claim is as follows:

1. ln a cycle, the combination of wheels Vand a frame carrying thewheels, said frame including substantially parallel top bars on oppositesides of the wheels and in approximately the same plane at a point abovethe axles of the wheels and substantially parallel bottom bars on eitherside of the wheels and in approximately the same plane at a point belowthe axles, the top and bottom bars at each side of the wheels beingsubstantially parallel and in approximately the same plane at theside'ol the wheels and extending beyond the said wheels.

2. In a cycle the combination of wheels i and a frame carrying thewheels, said frame extending beyond the said wheels and includingsubstantially parallel top bars on opposite sides of the wheels and inapproximately the same plane at a point above the axles of the wheelsand substantially parallel bottom bars on opposite sides oi3 the wheelsand in approximately the same plane at a point below the axles, thebottom and top bars at each side of the wheels being Vsubstantiallyparallel and in approximately the same planeet the side of the wheels.

l3. ln a cycle the combination of wheels and a Jframe'carrying thewheels, said trame including a central section, a rear section pivotedto the central section and a front section pivoted to the centralsection, the frame being formed of substantially parallel top bars onopposite sides of the wheels and in approximately the same plane at apoint above the axles of the wheels and substantially parallel bottom'bars on either side of the wheels'and in approximately the same planeat a point below the axles, the bottom and top bars at each side of' thewheels being substantially parallel and said front and rear sectionsextending longitudinally be-A yond the said wheels. Y

et. A cycle including a framefformed with central and end sections, oneof said sections having a side member pivoted to swing outwardly romtheframe and a wheel having a support carried by said pivoted inein- 5. Acycle frame including a main section and sections adapted to have wheelsmounted thereon, one of said wheel sections having sides respectivelypivoted to the main section to swing outwardly therefrom.

6. A cycle trame having a central section, a rear section consist-ingol' sides respectively pivoted to the central section to swing outwardlytherefrom, and a front section consisting ot sides respectively pivotedto swing outwardly from the central section.

7. In a cycle, front andrear wheels, a frame; including a liront sectioncarrying the front wheel, such liront section being pivoted to theremainder ol the trame at a point in rear of the front wheel and ahandle connected to the front section at points adjacent the pivotalconnection and extending rearwardly past said pivotal connection, theportion of the handle in rear ot the pivotal connection being greaterthan the portion ot' the handle in front of `said connection.

S. in a cycle, front and rear wheels, a trame including a main sectionand a front section carrying the front wheel, such iront section beingpivoted to the main section at points in rear of the front wheel and asteering handle fulcrumed between its ends upon the front section andconnected to the 'front section at a point distinct from and in advanceof said ulcrum point.

9. ln a cycle, a frame, pairs of spaced uprights carried by the trame,one ol the uprights ot' each pair being adjustable to vary the spacebetween it and the other upright of the pair, bearing plates slidablymounted between the uprights and wheels, the axles of which bear in saidplates.

l0. In a cycle, a frame, a wheel, bearing members for the wheel, saidmembers heilig slidably mounted upon the trame to move vertically andmeans providing a fixed connection between the bearing members andframe, including correspondingly arranged openings in adjacent portionsot the frame and having members for their combined reception and asecuring pin.

ll. ln a cycle, a frame, a wheel, bearing members for the wheel,slide-bly mounted upon the frame to move vertically, said frame havingholes therein and each of the bearing members having a series ofvertically arranged openings therein adapted to register when thebearing members and frame are to be'secured together.

12. In a cycle, a frame, bearing plates carried by the frame to slidevertically with respect thereto, wheels carried by said plates, springsconnected to frame and plates and yieldingly supporting the latter andmeans for varying with respect to the axles of the wheels, the points ofconnection between springs and plates.

13. In a cycle, a frame, bearing plates carried by the frame and adaptedto slide vertically with respect thereto, wheels carried by the platesand means for ixedly con nectinw the plates to the frame.

14. n a cycle, a frame, bearing plates carried by the frame and adaptedto slide vertically with respect thereto, wheels carried by the platesand means for ixedly connecting the plates to the frame at varyingheights.

15. In a cycle, a frame, bearing plates carried by the frame andpresenting bearing openings 'at different heights with respect to theplates and a wheel the axle of which bears in one of the openings of theplate.

16. In a cycle, front and rear wheels and a frame carrying the wheels,and projecting beyond the front wheel and beyond the rear wheel.

17. A frame for a cycle including detachably connected sections, one ofthe sections presenting a vertically arranged slot and a horizontallyarranged groove and the other section presenting a horizontally arrangedslot inclosing the vertically arran ed slot, a bolt carried by thehorizontally s otted section and located in the vertical slot and a keylocated in said groove and straddling the bolt.

18. A frame for a cycle including pivotally connected sections, one ofthe sections presenting a depression upon its upper surface anupstanding boss adjacent the depression and a vertical outwardly facingshoulder a bolt carried by the depressed section, the other sectionstraddling said bolt, being grooved on its underside to receive theupstanding boss and presenting a depending boss located in saiddepression and a vertical inwardly facing shoulder adapted to enga ewith said outwardly facing shoulder an a nut screwed u on the bolt andholding said sections togetlier.

19. A cycle including wheels, a main section, `an end section carryingone of said wheels and said end section including top bars and bottombars on either side of the wheel and connected by a rear bar, strutsinclined rearwardly from bottom to top bars, horizontally disposed barsand spaced uprights at each side of the Wheel connecting thehorizontally disposed bars and the bottom bars, and pivotal connectionsbetween the main section and the top and bottom bars respectively.

20. A cycle including wheels, a main section, an end section carryingone of said wheels and extending beyond the outer periphery of suchwheel, said end section includin top bars and bottom bars on either sideo the wheel and connected by a rear bar, struts inclined rearwardly frombottom to top bars2 horizontally disposed bars and spaced uprights ateach side of the wheel connecting the horizontally disposed bars and thebottom bars, the rear ones of such spaced uprights being adjustable andall being curved at the center toward the rear, and pivotal connectionsbetween the main section and the top and bottom bars respectively.

21. A cycle including wheels, a main section and a front sectioncarrying one of said wheels and extending beyond the outer pe-` ripheryof such wheel, said front section 1ncludin top bars and bottom bars oneither side o? the wheel and connected by a front bar, horizontallydisposed bars and spaced uprights inclining rearwardly at each side ofthe wheel and connecting the horizontally disposed bars and the bottombars, the front ones of such spaced uprights being adjustable, andpivotal connections between the main section and the top and bottom barsres ectively.

n testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHANNES THEODORES SENTROP, Jr.

